


Spring Song

by CollieWolf



Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2020-07-08 08:36:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19866652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CollieWolf/pseuds/CollieWolf
Summary: Moomin saves someone who's drowning and slowly begins to fall in love with him. However, he has no idea the man he's falling in love with is the god of Spring.





	1. River Rafting

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [feet of clay](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18636355) by [Tyranno](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tyranno/pseuds/Tyranno). 



The Moomins had lived in the valley for three years now. It had been hard to find the perfect home for them: the rivers were too loud, the fields too big, the spacing of the trees, it went on and on. 

Moomin had been very grateful when they finally settled. 

The only odd thing about this valley that Moomintroll could find was the god that their new neighbors had talked about. The god of Spring, a soft voice that sounded like the chirp of birds and the burbling of a river. Mamma often left gifts for the god: delicious pastries that she made with a jar of jam, the best apples from the year's harvest, a few of the magic cherries that she picked up on her 5-day adventure to the secret area in the lonely mountains. They all disappeared and Moomin had a suspicion that their neighbors had been stealing the sweets. 

* * *

Moomin stared longingly out of his window, watching the snow beginning to melt revealing the lush spring grass with little shoots that would become wild flowers. 

Papa had outdone himself with their new home. It was many stories tall with many extra rooms in case someone needed to stay for a while. Moomintrolls room was placed at the very top of their big blue house (as Moomin homes were always blue) and Moomintroll loved it. He could see the whole valley from up there! (He couldn’t actually, but he liked to pretend.) However, the beautiful sight of the valley had become tiring. Moomintroll hadn’t been able to hibernate and instead stared out his window, day after day, waiting for spring to arrive. 

He was jolted out of his thoughts as he heard a small racket in the kitchen. Mamma was up! He rushed down the stairs and almost ran right into his papa. Moomin wrapped his arms around his fathers big white belly and laughed. 

“Why hello there, Moomin. Happy Spring!” His father said, tipping his hat before shuffling and returning his sons embrace.

“Hello pappa! Oh you have no idea how long my winter was! I don’t know why but I just couldn’t hibernate! Maybe it’s because something special will happen this year?” Moominpappa laughed and ruffled the fur on his sons head.

”Well, we’ll just have to see, won’t we my boy.”

Moomin walked down with his dad to the smell of pancakes and something sweet. 

“Mamma! Are you making something for the god?” Moomin asked. 

“Why yes, you have a very good nose Moomin. I’m baking a cake for them.” She smiled at her son as he ran over and embraced her. 

“Do you think I can take it? I’m getting restless cooped up in here!” He said, jumping up and down. She chuckled before nodding. 

“Of course you can. Be careful, and if you see anyone remember to be kind; many people are rather cranky after hibernation.” She said. 

Breakfast was wonderful. Cranberry jam and pancakes. Little My was roused by the smell and crawled out from her small room in the cupboard. She had insisted she slept there as it was her-sized. Moominmamma had protested but Little My didn’t listen. 

The cake finished baking a short while later; Momma let it cool before frosting it and giving it to her son.

“Be careful now, Moomin. I love you!” Mamma called from the porch. He turned and waved, almost dropping the cake in the process. He hummed a soft song as he walked. The birds chirped along and the river bubbled in time with his little tune. 

He inhaled, taking in the beauty of the valley. 

And almost yelled when someone came rushing down the river, soaking wet and bobbing up and down, gasping for air. Moomin set down the cake and ran for them, reaching his hand out as they were carried along by the water. He felt a strong grip grab his paw and Moomin pulled with all his might to get them out. 

He was panting and wet, yet he smelled as sweet as a newly bloomed flower. His old shirt was sopping and still looked bright and new. The flowers surrounding his head had barely moved. He took off the flower crown and shook himself out. His tail fluffed up and his hair still dripped slightly. He replaced the flowers and smiled warmly at Moomin. 

“Thank you, I thought I was going to die there!” He chuckled as if death was somehow a joke to him. Something filled the gaps of silence between his words: a soft breeze, the sound of wind chimes, the splash of a fish in the river. 

“I can bring you to my home to warm you! Mamma can make a potion to help you avoid a cold or-” 

“Oh that won’t be necessary, my tent is very close by. Anyways, it looks like you were delivering something.” Moomin paused, listening to the sounds of Spring before nodding. He went over and hefted the cake up. 

“If it’s not too much trouble, what’s your name? I’d like to know so if we meet again I’ll be able to greet you properly.” 

“My name is Snufkin, yours?” 

“Oh it’s... well it’s Moomintroll, but you can just call me Moomin.” He smiled. 

“Well, I best get going before I freeze out here. I’m heading the way I was uhm... drowning from.” Snufkin mumbled. 

Moomin blinked, then smiled. 

“I’m heading that way too! I’m going to leave an offering to the local god, the god of spring!” 

“Actually she’s a goddess. Mymble, the goddess of fertility. Before you ask, I look into these things before I decide where I’m going to stay.” He said as he began to walk.

“Oh! Well then I’ll have to have momma bake another cake for her!” Moomin jogged to catch up with Snufkin “I was sure that the locals said the god of the valley was the god of Spring.” 

“Oh no, the god of Spring is a traveling god, all of his shrines are just tiny little ones along the roads. I often find myself on them, they’re quite easy to follow.”

“Oh! Well is there a shrine close to here?” 

“Why yes, as he’s the son of the Mymble his shrine is right next to hers.” 

“You seem to know a lot about this god of Spring.” Moomin said. 

“Ah well, I share a lot in common with him. Did you know that he’s actually a demi-god? His father was a strange creature that was very human-like but well... wasn’t. The gods decided that he, the god of Spring, was to be an outcast. They sent him to Earth as a punishment for being a freak of nature. Now he spends his days wandering the world, bringing joy after the long cold months of Winter and fall.” He smiled, inhaled, then clapped. 

“How do you know so much about him?” 

“Well I’ve spent a lot of time with him. After all I go where he goes.” 

Moomin hummed, hefting up the cake in his arms. 

“Do you need help carrying that? It looks heavy,” Snufkin asked, reaching towards it. Moomin nodded and sighed in relief as Snufkin took up the weight of the pastry with ease. in fact, he seemed to be using only one hand. Moomin chose not to mention this as he seemed to be balancing it rather fine. 

They were silent after that. Snufkin had walked to the other side of Moomin as to avoid the river bed. Sometimes he’d eye Moomin then look down at the cake. Then up ahead at the shrine that was coming into view. 

“So you aren’t giving this to the Mymble?” He asked, shifting the cake in his arms. Moomin thought he heard thunder rumble in the distance. 

“Well, I could split it in half but my mother made this cake for the god of Spring,” He said. A look of confusion passed over Snufkins face, but he seemed happy. 

“I’m not sure this’ll fit in his shrine, as I said they’re all fairly small.” He said. Moomin hummed. 

“Well Papa says you can leave offerings in front of shrines and the gods will still receive them!” 

“Is that how that works? I always wondered why people put things in front of the shrines.” He looked over at the river trying to hide a smile. A small bridge connected the sides of the, Snufkin paused. 

“Is this where you fell?” 

“Yeah. Stupid bridge,” He mumbled, handing the cake back to Moomin. “In case I fall again.” 

“Well if you do then I’ll just jump in and save you again!” 

“Thank you, Moomin, it’s appreciated.” He smiled and hurried across the bridge, waiting on the other side for Moomin to cross. “Would you like me to take that again, Moomintroll?” 

“Yes, thank you, Snufkin.” 

“You know, I rarely talk to strangers,” Snufkin murmured. 

“Really?” 

“Yes, I find most people rather infuriating. I’m much more used to the quiet. You just seem rather pleasant to be around.” 

“Oh! Thank you!” Moomin smiled. 

“It also might be because you rescued me from the river.” 

“I’m glad I got you in time, that could have been bad.” 

“Yes, so am I. If you hadn’t, I would probably be dead.” Snufkin laughed. Moomin was slightly concerned, what was with Snufkin and death? 

“Perhaps I can come visit tomorrow? Would you still be here?” Moomintroll asked, glancing at Snufkin as the large shrine came into view. A smaller one rested at its side. The spring shrine. A few gifts lay in it. Moomin was tempted to enter the temple that surrounded The Mymbles shrine, however he just placed down the cake in front of the smaller. He turned to look at Snufkin who was lost in thought. 

“Yes, I will. This is our last stop of the spring; I’ll be seeing my dear friend soon enough. The god of spring, I mean. Maybe I’ll introduce you.” Snufkin laughed. It was awkward and cute, as if he had never laughed before this day and wasn’t sure if he was doing it right. 

“Oh I’d love that! Would you, Snufkin, please?” 

Snufkin chortled and nodded. 

“Come back tomorrow. He’ll be here. I might not, I have a few errands to run.” 

“Then I’ll be here! I hope I get to see you!” 

Moomintroll waved as he walked. When his fluffy white form disappeared in the distance, Snufkin felt a warm paw fall onto his shoulder. 

“Hello, Mymble.” 

“Hello, Snufkin my son. How has your winter been?” 

“Long.” 

He wrapped his godly mother in a large hug and felt the grass around them grow. The flowers bloom, the trees blossom and the sun shine ever brighter. 

This was the end of his darkness. He realized just as a flower sprouted from beneath his feet that this could be where he truly belonged.


	2. The God of Spring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moomin goes to meet the god of Spring.

Moomin watched as the sun rose over the mountain. He wanted to head over to the shrines at that moment but he knew Snufkin would need time to convince the god to meet with him. Oh how he was excited! He’d never met a god before! 

“What are you doing?” 

Moomin was startled from his thoughts by Little My who was stood in his doorway. 

“Well, if you must know, I’m going to meet a god today!” 

“Cool! I’m coming too!” She shouted. 

“No, you aren’t. Snufkin said that only _I_ can meet him. And last time I checked, you aren’t me.” 

“Well it won’t matter if he doesn’t see me.” She smirked, making a move to walk out of the room. 

“He’s a god, Little My, he would sense your presence! You can’t come with me.” 

She growled. “Ugh, you’re no fun.” 

He huffed and turned back to his window. He should probably bring something for him but what? Food? No he brought him that yesterday. Clothes? No he’s a god, he can probably make clothes himself. 

“Oh! Brilliant idea Moomintroll!” He murmured before pulling out a pencil, a paper, and his coloring markers. This was perfect! 

Moomin spent most of the day drawing and redrawing, getting every detail as accurate as possible. He was careful with his coloring and lining. He needed this to be as good as he could get it. 

Moomin held back the paper and admired his handy work. It was the view from his window, the river and the bridge, the woods, mommas vegetable patch. Moomin hoped he would like it. 

As the sun reached its peak, Moomin set out for the shrine. It was a long walk without company. Moomin held his picture gingerly in his paws. By the time he reached the second bridge (the bridge where Snufkin had fallen) he was on the verge of running. The shrine was up ahead, he could see someone but he couldn’t tell who it was. He came to a screeching halt, panting. The person turned. 

Moomin gulped. The creature had almost glowing skin and slitted eyes with no mouth. He didn’t seem to be wearing anything except for a flower crown that reminded him of Snufkin. His eyes seemed to grin at him, pupils growing larger. Moomins heart skipped a beat and he felt his face flush underneath his fur. 

“Uhm… well hello there! I’m uh… I’m Moomintroll but you can just call me Moomin if you’d like. 

“Hello Moomin. I’m the god of spring but from the tone of your voice you seemed to already have guessed that.” 

His voice was like silk. Ringing with the sounds of spring. Birds flew from the forest and landed on his shoulders as he sat down on the grass. 

“Sit with me, Moomin.” He patted the ground by him. 

Moomin made no move to object and sat down by him. He glanced down at his picture and gulped. 

“I have something for you.” He said, holding it out closer to the god. His eyes widened and he took it with gentle paws. 

“Did you make this?” The wind rustled, freeing the sun from it’s cloudy prison. 

“Yes! It took me all day.” 

Moomin waited with baited breath as the god studied the picture, eyes moving around as fast as they could go. 

“It’s wonderful!” The god smiled, at least Moomin thought he did. His eyes seemed to crinkle at the corners and his pupils widened again. 

“You really think so!?” Moomin leapt to his knees and palms to stare at him wide eyed. 

“Yes I do! I love everything about it! You are quite a skilled artist, Moomin!” 

Moomintroll found himself blushing once more. For some reason the gods excitement felt almost… familiar. 

“Hey, Moomintroll, watch this.” The god gently took up the corners of the paper and began folding it before it reached the shape of an origami bird. He leant down into the paper and whispered something before closing his hands around it completely. He winked, then Moomin heard chirping from his palms. 

When the god opened his fingers, there sat a blue green and white bird, looking around. 

“Pretty cool, right? I figured I could do that with paper a while ago. Now you’ve not only given me a gift, but you’ve given the world a gift. The gift of a new life. Would you like to hold it?” The god held out his hands in the direction of Moomin who shakily held out one of his own. He gasped softly as he felt the paw of the god wrap around his own and gently position it into the correct position before placing the small bird on his finger. 

“I helped make you!” Moomin breathed out. 

“You did! He will visit you quite often I’d presume. Most birds love their creators.” The god said before standing. “Here, watch this.” 

The god took out a mouth organ from seemingly nowhere and put it to his face. From the mouth organ came the most beautiful song Moomin had ever heard. It made everything around him seem brighter and more full of life. The grass was filled with flowers, vines wrapped around the two shrines and sprouted fruits. The trees leaves grew even more green. He gasped when birds began fluttering in a large flock towards them, all singing along with his song. They landed in the clearing, some on Moomin and on the god as well. Moomin laughed when some nestled up in his fur, chirping softly. 

“See? Whenever I play my mouth organ they all come flocking. They do the same thing with Snufkin. He taught me how to play the mouth organ, you know.” 

“Snufkin taught you how to play? He really is incredible! When I met him yesterday he was so calm and collected, he taught me things about you that I never knew! I’d really like to be his friend someday.” Moomin trailed off as he finished his sentence. The gods eyes had widened in surprise. 

“You really think he’s that great?” 

“Yes! He let me meet you, after all.” 

“Yeah, I guess… I guess he is pretty great. I think you two will make great friends. He needs some more after all. Oh, and be careful. You might pick up my curse as he did. For being friends with me the gods have decided to be as rude to him as they are to me. I’d love to talk longer but this valley is large and I need to get to melting the snow. Here’s your plate back, the cake was delicious.’ 

Moomin took the china back from the god with light fingers. He watched as the god all but flew off into the forest. 

“That was very unexpected, don’t you think, little friend.” He said looking down at the bird that the god had made. It nodded and whistled a little ditty before taking flight, leading the rest of the birds back into the forest. 

Moomin walked to the river, staring down at his reflection. He hadn’t noticed the flowers that had grown around his head. He tugged them off gently and stared at the flower crown in his hands. He stayed there for who knows how long, pondering about the conversation he had just had. 

“It seems that you made a good impression.” 

Moomin yelped and jumped back from the water, almost running right into Snufkin as he dropped the flower crown. 

“Sorry, Moomintroll, I didn’t mean to startle you!” He laughed. 

“Snufkin! When did you get here?” 

“Not all that long ago. I’m surprised I didn’t rouse you from your thoughts.” Snufkin said, moving to sit down by his camp. 

“Oh! Snufkin, the god of spring said that you taught him how to play the mouth organ, is that true?” 

“It is. I’ve been playing my whole life. He wanted to learn. He was very grateful.” 

“That’s incredible!” Moomin cheered.”I would feel honored to even shake hands with a god but you taught one how to play music!” 

Snufkin laughed again. “Oh, old Spring isn’t that intimidating as you seem to think he is. He’s a big pushover that just wants to help the world. And while I find that commendable, that’s almost all there is to him!” 

“What?” Moomins eyes had gone wide as Snufkin laughed. 

“Snufkin you can’t mean that! He was so kind to me, he must be super powerful!” 

“Trust me, he isn’t.” Snufkin said, laying a paw onto Moomin’s shoulder. “All he can do is make birds and melt snow. That doesn’t mean that I don’t like him, he’s very fun to be around.” 

Moomin looked at the ground and furrowed his brows. He didn’t know why but he felt like crying. Snufkin stuttered and opened his mouth, then closed it. He inhaled before speaking again. 

“What I’m trying to say is that you don’t need to be so cautious with him. He already likes you.” Snufkin looked down at the ground, shifting his hand to wrap around his back in an awkward hug. 

“Really! You really think so, Snufkin?” Moomin turned swiftly to look at his new friend. Snufkins head shot up from the surprise. He nodded weakly. 

“Oh Snufkin! This is the best day of my life! I’ve made two new wonderful friends! Oh I’m so excited! Momma and Pappa will be very excited too, Little My will probably want to meet the god of Spring, she was very jealous this morning when I told her I was going to meet with the god of Spring. Oh! Sniff will be very excited, too! I’m sure he-“ 

“Uhm… Moomin?” 

Moomin looked over at his friend. It took a minute to realize he had wrapped Snufkin in the biggest bear hug he could possibly manage. He chuckled awkwardly as he pulled away, blushing underneath his fur. 

Snufkin dusted himself off and stood. 

“I need to get to fishing, my dinner isn’t going to make itself, after all.” 

“Oh! I know, why don’t you come over for dinner! That way you can meet my family!” 

A sense of dread fell over Snufkin as he smiled. 

“Sure, why not.” 

He was going to regret this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! More is on its way soon, tell me what you liked! Tell me what I did wrong!! I thrive on feedback!! Also sorry this isn't as long as the first, the next one will be longer!!


	3. A family dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snufkin meets Moomins family, and a member of his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sorry it’s taken so long to get this out :( school started again and I forgot all about my boys! I’ll try my hardest to do more!

Snufkin followed behind Moomin at a slow pace, keeping his distance. While the troll was very excited to have Snufkin meet his family, Snufkin was rather worried.

  
Moomin was humming the song he had played earlier. Maybe he shouldn’t have done that, Snufkin thought.

  
If the gods caught a mortal singing his songs they could be punished. Snufkin inhaled.

  
All of this because he was half Mymrik.  
Snufkin looked to the woods. How he longed to disappear into them, with the birds and the plants. It would be the ideal in this situation, but he had said he would go to dinner with the troll. It would go against his code to back out now.  
He heard the river besides them burble, he shot a look over but nothing came out, to Snufkins relief. Apparently the river here was a strong place of connection for him. He, out of all the gods, seemed to have the biggest grudge against the young god of Spring. Maybe it was the forceful way he melted the snow and made the fish follow him. Maybe it was because he preferred water travel, Snufkin would probably never know.

  
An awkward silence fell over the two; Moomin was shuffling his hands, and he kept glancing back at Snufkin. He met his eyes and stared, unwavering. A small smile creeped onto his face.  
He really liked Moomin, he had saved him and spent quality time with him. He had given him a heartfelt gift. Now, in return, he could be endangering him and his family. He had told his tale, the one about him angering the gods by existing. He was telling the truth when he said that the gods shunned him. They often didn’t like those that spent time with him.

  
He hoped that maybe by not telling him who he was, they wouldn’t be able to blame him and instead punish Snufkin.  
Snufkin patted his legs, feeling the familiarity of his harmonica. It was his only treasured possession. His father had given it to him before he disappeared. He had found out why he still had it, his mother had bullied the others until they agreed to leave it alone. He was grateful, it helped him stay happy in the long months of isolation.

  
He made a decision. He tugged the mouth organ from his pocket and held it to his lips. This path could use some color.

  
A gently melody, one filled with longing, of loneliness, of joy. Moomintrolls ears perked up, his head whipped around and watched as flowers bloomed wherever Snufkin stepped, and how the birds flocked back to flutter around Snufkin. Suddenly Spring seemed to burst into being, Snufkin glanced at his friend with worried eyes.

  
“Snufkin! I know he said you had his curse but I didn’t think you could spread Spring, too!”

  
Snufkin paused, chocking back a laugh.  
“Well it comes with the curse, I suppose. It started after I was marked.”

  
“Marked?”

  
“The flower crown. Watch.” He took the flowers gently off of his head, hearing the snap of the stems. He threw it into the forest and waited. He flinched as the vines began twisting. Moomin watched in awe as buds grew. Then they blossomed. It was different than the last crown. Snufkin rubbed his head, feeling the pinch of the vines in tugging at his hair. It was uncomfortable to say the least. He was forced to wear it as a sign of sorts, a sign that he was cursed. “They only regrow when I take them off with the intention of getting rid of them.”  
Snufkin didn’t use cursed as a joke, no he was truly cursed. The gods, other than his mother, gave him a curse of loneliness. That’s what Snufkin called it, at least.

  
Snufkin returned to playing, Moomin had gone quiet after he told him about his crown.

  
The rest of the walk was held in silence. The only noise was Snufkins harmonica, the birds chirping, and the river burbling. Snufkin enjoyed it, he almost always did.  
After a short while of walking, a looming home of several stories came into view. It was blue. The accents on the windows and the roof where a nice brown. There were flower seeds that were planted but hadn’t yet bloomed. Snufkin could feel the roots of them slowly inching out. On the other side of the house was the beginnings of a nice apple orchard. There were only 4 trees so far. Between two of them hung a hammock, inside, someone slept.

  
“Oh! Right, the Muskrat sleeps in our hammock a lot. Pappa destroyed his home when he made our bridge,” Moomin explained, “He’s a philosopher!”

  
Snufkin hummed, “I’ve never really like philosophers.”

  
“Then you and Pappa will get along great!”

  
Snufkin giggled. He was surprised at how easily Moomintroll made him laugh. It was uncommon but welcome all the same. He would think about that later.  
Moomin gently tugged on his sleeve and began making his way towards his house. Snufkin felt himself freeze up as they got to the veranda.

  
He glanced back to the forest one last time before Moomin invited him in.  
It was a cozy house, Snufkin had to admit. There was a sofa by the window, a table with 7 chairs. A fireplace that had a long chimney, leading to the roof, and a tree in the middle of the room. There were many photographs of Moomins family, and some others that Snufkin had never met. Maybe they were the trolls friends. There was a small batch of firewood, Snufkins gaze lingered on it for a moment too long, whispering a hushed farewell to the tree.

  
Moomin was staring at him as he took everthing in. His eyes glistened with excitement. Snufkin turned to him and let a small smile creep onto his face.

  
“You have a very lovely house, Moomintroll.”

  
A soft squeal escaped Moomin before he glanced over into another room.

  
“Oh! Mamma, are you making dinner?”

  
A kind voice answered in response; it was so sweet that it helped to sooth Snufkins nerves ever so slightly.  
“Yes I am, dear.”

  
“Wonderful! I brought my new friend along for dinner, if that’s alright.”

  
“That’s great dear,” another Moomin entered from what Snufkin could only assume was the kitchen. She wore a striped apron and a handbag hung from her arm. She patted powder off of her hands.

  
“Hello there. You must be Moomins new friend. I’m Moominmamma,” She held out her hand, “It’s lovely to meet you, dear.”

  
“It’s very nice to meet you, too Moomins Mamma.” Snufkin gently took her paw for a moment before letting go. She smiled, a soft look in her eyes as she took him in.

  
“Where’s Pappa? I want him to meet Snufkin!”

  
“He’s up in his study, writing his memoirs.”

  
Moomin smiled, offering his hand. Snufkin paused before taking it, inhaling sharply as Moomin pulled him towards the stairs. Moomin took them two steps at a time, Snufkin stumbled up after him. The second floor was sparse, only doors and a single potted plant. He let go of Snufkins hand and ran towards the door in the middle left and knocked loudly. A muffled voice said to come in.

  
Moomin turned to look at Snufkin and smiled before opening the door.

  
“Pappa, I want you to meet my new friend! His name is Snufkin!”

  
“Ah hello there,” Moomins father turned in his chair, smiling “it’s nice to meet you, Snufkin, I’m Moominpappa.”

  
His voice slowly faded as he took Snufkin in. He froze up, those eyes were so knowing. Did he know him? He didn’t tell any of Moomins family so how did he know. His heart raced.

  
“Jo... Ah no, I mistook you for someone I used to travel with. He was quite the troublemaker. Making friends with my son to pull some sort of joke on me wouldn’t be out of the question for him.”

  
The sense of dread left as soon as it had come. They would be okay.

  
“I need to get back to my memoirs, call me when dinners ready son.”

  
“Alright pappa! Love you!”

  
“I love you too.” Moomins father turned back to his desk and Moomin made his way out of the room.

  
“We can go up to my room for a little until dinners ready! Or we can go downstairs, whatever you want to do!” His bright eyes shone with excitement, the blue sparkling in the light that came through the window.

  
“Can we... Can we go outside maybe?” Snufkin mumbled.

  
“Of course, anything you want!”  
Relief washed over him. Moomin walked down the stairs, Snufkin following close behind.

  
“We’ll be outside until dinner is ready momma! I love you!”

  
“I love you too, sweetie! Have fun outside.” His mother called from the kitchen, soft banging and clinking accompanying her gentle voice.

  
Moomin ran to the front door, opening it and looking at Snufkin. He wasn’t used to the soft click that his boots made on the wooden floor. He almost ran out of the door, inhaling the scent of the forest.

  
“So, what do you want to do?”

  
Snufkin looked at the trees, then at their newly planted garden, then to the fence surrounding the veranda. Without thinking Snufkin walked over and hopped up, leaning against one of the larger posts. He pulled out his mouth organ, staring at the plots where flowers were planted.

  
He put it to his lips and began playing. It was the tune he had been working on throughout the winter. It was hard to make; his spring tunes always were. This one in particular had to be jolly and sad, something new. One part expectation, two parts spring sadness, and for the rest; just the great delight of walking alone and liking it.

  
He called the song Keväclaulu  
Moomin smiled, watching the lawn, the small seeds sprouted, shoots turned to buds. They stopped there, and instead the spring magic turned to the grass and the trees, growing fuller. The unseen vegetable garden in the back began to thrive.

  
As Snufkin stopped playing, he felt the plants recess ever so slightly.

  
“Oh Snufkin that was lovely! Momma will be so happy! She was hoping that these flowers would grow fast, she was very excited when she planted them!” Moomin said, staring at the buds.

  
“I’m glad, for some reason some people don’t like it when their plants bloom early. There was this one woman, a fillyjonk I believe, she lives in this valley and when I passed by with Spring, she lost her mind yelling at the flowers that they weren’t supposed to bloom yet, or bud, or even have a stem! It was all quite funny, I must say.”

  
“That sounds like Mrs. Fillyjonk alright, she’s a bit of a neat freak.”

  
Snufkin hummed, going quiet. He heard soft paw steps, no not paws, those were boots.

  
“Does your father wear shoes?”

  
“No, we Moomins don’t need them! Our paws are very tough!”

  
“Then I believe someone else is in your home.”

  
Moomin looked in through the window on the door.

  
“Oh that’s just Little My, I didn’t introduce you because she’s a big old spoil sport, she’ll talk your ear off at dinner I’m sure of it.”

  
“You have a sister?”

  
“No, Little My just lives with us.”

  
“Odd, I’ve never met a family who just lets someone move in without being part of a family. Is she homeless?”

  
“Nuh uh, she has an older sister that she can always go back to! She just likes it here!”

  
Snufkin pondered at that. No one had ever been kind enough to invite him to his home for no reason. This Little My was a lucky character.

  
However, when he thought of her his whiskers twitched in an odd way and arms itched. She was bad news, he decided. These feelings where hardly ever wrong. He still hadn’t figured a name for them but he’d think of something some day.

  
“Dinner still won’t be ready for a while, I believe, would you like to play tag?”

  
“Sure, Moomin.”

  
They played tag for a while, Moomin had to explain the rules but Snufkin got the hang of it fast. With his other worldly powers he could out run his new friend very easily. He let Moomin catch up to him. By the time Moomins mother called for dinner they where both panting, but smiling all the same.

  
“Gosh Snufkin, you’re so fast!”

  
“Thank you, so are you.”

  
“Well I’m not as fast as you but I try.”

  
They walked back to the house slowly, both giggling ever so slightly. Moomins mother stood by the door, smiling, a small child standing next to her.

  
“Theres Little My, be careful, she might bite you.”

  
“Why?”

  
“She likes biting things.”

  
Snufkin paused for a moment.

  
“Oh.”

  
As they approached the porch Snufkin began to make out a few details of Little My. Her hair was pulled up into a familiar bun with a red hyacinth tucked into it’s base, her red coat oddly recognizable. He stopped dead in his tracks when he could finally make out her face.

  
A Mymble child.

  
“Are you okay, Snufkin?”

  
He took a deep breath, then smiled weakly.

  
“I guess I’m just a little tired from running around so much.”

  
Moomin made a soft sound of understanding before he began walking again, this time he grabbed Snufkin’s sleeve and tugged him along.

  
“We’re almost to the house! When we get inside, we can have you sit down and relax!”

  
Snufkin reached up and grabbed Moomin’s hand, tugging it away from his shirt. Moomin smiled and walked a little faster, practically skipping. Little My looked extremely mischievous. Snufkin felt his palms begin to shake.

  
“You must be Snufkin! I’m Little My, quite a pleasure.” She winked.

  
“Yes, I am. Moomin told me about you.” Snufkin squeezed Moomin’s hand.

  
“Little My leave him alone! This is why no one likes hanging out with you!”

  
“You like hanging out with me, so does Snorkmaiden and Sniff. I’m just introducing myself. Speaking of introducing, Snufkin, can I talk to you. Alone.”

  
He felt a shiver run down his spine, but he nodded.

  
“But Snufkin you’re tired! You don’t have to humor her.”

  
“It’s alright. We won’t be long, I’ll make sure of it,” his voice dropped to a whisper at the end of his sentence and he winked. Moomin smiled, nodded, then walked inside. Moomins mother whispered something to Little My before following her son and shutting the door.  
Snufkin stared at the child. She stared back.

  
“You’re totally a mymble child, aren’t you.”

  
“Yes and you are, too.”  
“What are you?”

  
“What? You just said what I was.”

  
“No I mean what do you do.”

  
“I’m the god of Spring. I’m guessing that you’re some form of... childhood?”

  
“Yes I am, how do you know?”

  
Snufkin motioned to the hyacinth in her hair.

  
“Red hyacinths represents protection. The story behind them is one of love but you don’t seem like a loving type. There’s also the fact that hyacinths come in large clusters. The combination of protection and living in a large group gives way to the idea of childhood.”

  
Little My paused, mouth agape. Snufkin chuckled.

  
“Alright. Listen. Moomins family can’t know who I am. I... if they knew then they would be in a lot of trouble.”

  
“Don’t worry, they don’t know who I am, either. I’m not a snitch.”

  
Snufkin sighed with relief.

  
“You know we could have spent longer talking. I wanted to discuss some things!”

  
“Later. I told Moomin we would be fast and I meant it. He’d get nervous if we spent too long.”

  
“We talked for a minute!” She opened the door. “We’ll talk longer later tonight, after dinner! Promise me!”

”I promise.”

”Good! Race you to dinner!” She called, running ahead of him. He chuckled, then leaned heavily against the door and shaking.

  
His stomach squirmed, his palms were shaking. He took a few deep breaths before closing the door behind him. It was only a dinner, and Little My seemed to have no intention of outing him as a god. He staggered for a moment before being able to walk normally. He entered the front room, smiling at the Moomin family and Little My. Moomin waved for him to go sit by him.

  
The food smelled wonderful. He wondered if this would be his first homecooked meal. It wouldn’t be his first one ever, he decided, but he knew it would be his first for a long time.

  
“Thank you Moomins mother.”

  
“Please dear, call me Moominmamma.”

  
“And call me Moominpappa.”

  
Moomin handed him a plate with plenty of food on it. With shaky hands he took it and set it down in front of him. He picked up the fork that was already there and dug it. Just as the smell implied, it was delicious. Some sort of meat dish, he made a note to avoid the meat. The rest of the meal was delicious. He'd have to ask Moomins mother for the recipe one day. Moomin watched him, smiling. 

He blinked, then turned to his dad.

  
“Pappa, earlier, were you going to mention the Joxter?”

  
Snufkin almost chocked.

  
“Yes, I was! You have wonderful ears, Moomin.” Moominpappa smiled.

  
“You knew the Joxter!” Snufkin almost leapt to his feet. “How are... you aren’t... I-”

The family stared at him, Moomintroll looked concerned, he met the Joxter and he wasn't killed, why did they let him liv-

  
“Are you alright Snufkin?” Moominpapa asked, snapping him out of his thoughts for a short moment.

  
“No! How are you still alive?”

  
Moominpappa looked surprised.

  
“Well, why would I be dead? Sure my adventures were dangerous but not so much that I would have died.”

  
“Joxter is a Mymrik! He’s basically a demon! The gods would kill you for even talking to him!”

Moominpapa hummed.

  
“Yes, he was. Well, my boy, I traveled with not only Joxter but a few other friends.”

  
“So? That wouldn't matter! The gods-”

“These friends are gods, Snufkin."

  
His skin started to itch. Why did they travel with Joxter, why did they travel with Moomins father? What made them curse the Joxter? Why do they punish me? They liked Joxter for a while what made them stop? I, I don't.

He shook, realizing that he was too distressed. His other form was sneaking up his fingertips. He took a deep breath, attempting to end his spiral for a moment.

  
The family just stared at him. After a moment he pushed his chair back. 

  
“Thank you for the food, I must be leaving now.” He rushed to the door. It was climbing now. He heard Moomin call for him, then he heard the scuffle of small boots and clunky steps following him. He heard the door open behind him. He tried to get as far away as he could before they caught up. He heard Little My speaking, then Moomin answering. Then, the sound of small feet running to meet him caught his ears.

"I got Moomintroll to stay in the house."

“Leave me alone, I need to be by myself.”

  
“No way! You promised we could talk!”

  
“Yes but I need my time to myself, I’m panicking.”

  
“Then I can help you, why are you panicking.”

  
Moomin’s bridge came into view. He all but ran across it. The Mymble child raced after him.

  
“Was it because of that Mymrik guy? Have you met him? Did he almost kill you? Is that why you were so frightened when Moominpapa talked about him?”

  
“It’s none of your business.”

  
The flowers he had bloomed earlier came into view. As he passed by, they lost some of their color. He needed to get away from them before they wilt. He walked faster.

  
“Well I think it is, you told me we could talk!” My yelled, running to match his pace.

  
“Not about this. This isn’t something I can talk about to just anyone."

  
“Well, we’re siblings, right? You can talk to me!”

  
“No, no I can’t.”

  
He walked faster still.

  
“Yes you can! Siblings are supposed to be able to talk to each other. What makes you panic so much about talking about the Joxter?”

Snufkin flinched “Stop saying his name.”

  
He started jogging.

  
“Why? Joxter, Joxter, Joxter!”

  
“Stop it!"

  
He broke out into a sprint.

  
“Why does it bother you so much?”

  
“Because it just does!”

  
The shrines came into view. He ran even faster and dove into his tent.

  
“You’ve gone all black! Is this your god form?” He hadn't even realized that he had turned. Normally it would take much longer for it to happen. Guess Little My was to blame. He curled in on himself, grabbing for the closest, softest item he could find. His hand grasped around his blanket and he pulled it close. He only opened his eyes when a soft glow began to emit from his tent.

Little My had turned a brilliant white. Her god form.

  
"I think you know by now i'm not a full god." 

She nodded.

"And you know I was kicked out from the palace."

She nodded again.

"The only reason that happened was because of my father. The Joxter."

Her eyes went wide. She shuffled in place before walking over and sitting next to Snufkin. He slowly raised to a sitting position, slightly pressing into his sisters side.

“They told me that Joxter tried to raise me, for about two years. They took me from him, didn't want me growing up with a demon. I haven't seen him since, they keep telling me he's dead but I just can't beleive them."

“So you ran off because you don't like thinking that he's gone."

Snufkin nodded.

She shifted, then wrapped Snufkin in the biggest hug she could. 

  
“You could have asked Moominpapa to stop talking about him. Then you could have stayed for longer."

  
“I couldn’t have. I was already starting to turn. I really don't want them finding out about me."

  
Little My hummed, her soft glow softly heating Snufkin. He yawned.

"Maybe you should go to bed? I'll keep you safe tonight, so you can rest easy from those stupid adults!" She smiled. He nodded, then took off his hat and scarf. Little My tugged the blanket from his grip and helped him lay down on his bedroll. She tucked him in, then got under the blanket next to him.

  
“I’ll need to bring you a pillow. I can’t believe you can sleep without one.” Little My murmured.

  
“It’s hard to travel with them.”

Talking with her was fun. Other than death, she was the first god to actually seem to care about him. They talked and talked until the sun began to set. By the time it had gone, Snufkin was feeling the roots of sleep tug at his eyelids. Little My lay her head on his chest, she said it felt more comfortable then his bedroll was. He sighed, closing his eyes.

  
“Goodnight, My.”

  
“Goodnight, Snufkin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading so far! Like I said I’m sorry about not updating for a while, school sucks, but! If you’re itching for more Moomin content, me and my friend started an ask blog! I update it more frequently because I have help! It’s just a regular Moomin story but I might take a few magic anons?  
> https://www.tumblr.com/blog/moomin-ask-blog  
> Thank you for reading! Tell me what you liked! Tell me what I did wrong! I thrive on comments


	4. Family Reuinion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snufkin hasn't turned back to his normal form, so Little My takes him to see another family member.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this has taken so long :( school is hard to keep up with so I don't have a lot of time to write, I'll try and get the next chapter out sooner!!

He had no dreams that night. Curled up in his bedroll, Snufin blinked open his weary eyes. He still felt groggy, and overall, gross. He had slept in his clothes, thankfully in the night he had somehow managed to take his boots off. They sat in a mangled pile. He almost sat up but he paused when he felt the weight of his sister. 

He slowly unwrapped his arms from around Little My. Standing up and tucking her in. She had faded back to her human form overnight. He looked down at his hands. Still as black as the unlit night sky. He sighed and slipped on his boots, relacing them and tying them into a stiff bow. As soon as he finished, they faded to the black of his body. He ducked out, grabbing his fishing rod and plopped down by the river. 

He lay down with his eyes close. Listening to the birds chirping, the river gurgling, the soft crinkle of the grass from beneath him. He reached over and grabbed his pole right as it began to tug into the water. He pulled it up quickly. A large fish came flying up out of the water. 

Snufkin opened his eyes. A minnow. That would have to do. 

He grabbed his pack from the tent, dragging it behind him into the light. From it he pulled out his cutting board and his bigger pocketknife. He set the large minnow on the board, skinned the fish and removed its spine. He cut it up and set the cutting board aside, pulling out his pot and lighting a fire. He added his normal soup stock and placed the fish in. He took his cutting board and washed it in the stream. He put it down on a log before he took off into the woods. 

In the woods, Snufkin sat down and closed his eyes. His powers were dampened by the dark void that surrounded his skin, but he still could feel the roots of plants. There were a few wild onions, a potato or two, and garlic! A rare find. He gathered them up and carried them with his shirt. 

Once he returned, he washed the vegetables, set them down and chopped them. He placed them in the soup and waited. He took two of his bowls out, as well as some spoons. He washed the board once again and waited for the soup to finish. 

About an hour later, he decided that it was ready, he dished out the soup and ducked into the tent. He leaned down and shook Little My. She grumbled in her sleep, waving her hand to shoo him away. 

“I made you breakfast.” 

She shot up in a flash, rubbing at her eyes. 

“What did you make?” 

“It’s a mix of fish stew and soup.” 

“Gross,” she sniffed loudly “bring me a bowl.” 

Snufkin leaned down and scooped her up, blanket and all. 

“No eating inside, it's hard to clean the tent.” 

She grumbled as she was carried out and set on a tree log. She rubbed at her eyes, yawning. She curled up around the bowl of soup she was handed, taking large bites. Snufkin snorted. 

“You aren’t an early riser, are you?” 

“I represent childhood of course I don’t like waking up.” 

They sat in silence, enjoying the others presence. The soup was better than it normally was, garlic can fix anything, but it still had that small metalic tang from the blood of the fish. He sank down into the grass after he finished his food, rubbing at his neck to relieve some of his tension from the night before. Little My eyed him wearily. 

“You’re still dark.” 

“Yes, yes I am.” 

“Are you alright?” 

“Yes.” 

“So why haven’t you turned back?” 

“I have no idea.” 

Snufkin stood, stalking over to the river and scrubbing at his bowl and spoon, Little my joined him, doing the same. 

“Has this happened before?” 

“Only once. It took a week before I was back to normal.” 

Little My hummed, leaning back after she thoroughly rinsed out the metal dish. 

“Maybe Mymble Jr can help.” 

“There's another Mymble child around here?” 

“Just me and her, she was very uhm... hesitant about letting me follow her here.” 

“Who wouldn’t be.” 

“I’m going to ignore that, but she’s friends with a witch! She probably knows some weird magic potion that can help get you back to normal.” 

By now Snufkin had taken his sisters bowl and stored them in his tent. He kicked his bag into it as well. He closed the flaps, put out the fire, then turned to Little My. 

“Lead the way.” 

* * *

It turns out that the way wasn’t very ideal. Snufkin froze up slightly when Little My began walking towards Moomins home. He flinched at the sight of the flowers he had made bloom the day before, it felt like suddenly his harmonica was a lead weight in his pocket. Little My lead him into the trees before they reached the bridge. 

“Wouldn’t want the Moomins to see you.” 

They ducked into a forest path, one less traveled by the way the grass was trampled. Presumably only Little My walked it. She took his hand and started to run. He would have tripped if not for his senses telling him where tree roots and sticks lay hidden by grass. Little My ran with reckless abandon, sticks snapped beneath her feet as she barreled through the brush. “Would you slow down? You could get hurt!” 

“No, I’ll be okay! I’m always okay.” 

She tripped. 

Snufkin wouldn’t admit it, but he laughed. 

After dusting herself off, Little My continued. Her pace was slower, thankfully. A large bush blocked their path up ahead. 

“We’re here!” Little My bounced on her heels before walking into the bush. Snufkin flinched, poor bush... 

He gently pushed his way through but paused as the sight of a little cottage filled his view. It was cute, a soft light tumbled out of the windows into the soft mist that formed around it. The small porch in the front of the door had a small table. The porch turned into a tree that the house seemed to grab. It took a moment for the scent of sickly-sweet flowers to catch his nose, then the smell began to mingle with the smell of rotten flesh. A small chill ran through him. 

“Gross, her girlfriend is here today.” Little My grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the door. 

She opened without knocking. Snufkin trailed behind her, dragging his feet. 

The inside was furnished with a couple couches with many comfortable looking throw pillows and blankets stacked on top of each other. There was a plush carpet laying on the hard wooden floors, catching the light as it landed on the floor. The front room connected to the kitchen. It was a little messy, a few bowls laying on the counter and in the sink. It smelled like someone had just eaten. Soft footsteps sounded from a hall just out of sight. 

A red head emerged. Her hair was pulled back into the bun their mother used to mark her children. However, her hair seemed more carefully pulled together. She wore a dress instead of a long coat like her younger sister. Her eyes widened as she saw Snufkin. 

“Snuf? Snufkin, is that you? Oh my goodness it’s been so long!” She ran and enveloped him in a hug. He flinched at the contact but didn’t move away. 

“How do you know me?” He looked at her as she pulled away. 

“I guess you were pretty small. I was one of your siblings before you were sent to Earth. It’s been so long since I’ve thought about that day.” 

The room went silent for a while. The air was heavier than it was a moment ago. 

“Anyways! Why are you two here?” 

“Snufkin can’t turn back from his god form.” Little My all but yelled. 

“Oh! That’s an easy fix, surprisingly. I mean, if I have the dogs tongue. It’s hard to find it this time of year.” 

As Snufkin was lead into the back room, his heart dropped. He was surrounded by the smell of rotting plants. He slapped a hand over his mouth and nose. Another girl stood near a pot. 

“Ticky, can you help me make a panic potion? My brother here can’t turn back to his human form.” 

Snufkin waved with his free hand. 

“Hello, Snufkin. Long time no see.” Too Ticky winked. They got to work right away. 

“This will take a while to finish, if you two want to go wait out in the front room.” Mymble eyed Snufkin, who had pulled the rim of his shirt over his face. Snufkin nodded and all but bolted from the room. Little My stayed in the room with Mymble and Too Ticky. He didn’t know why, but he really liked this place. This was the first time he had met one of his siblings that didn’t despise him, didn’t run away. 

He watched the forest through the window. It was peaceful. His eyelids felt heavy. He leaned into the couch, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you liked! Tell me what I did wrong! I live off of feedback, it's my sustanance. Also! I'm sorry the chapter is short, I wanted to get something out to you guys as fast as I could!


	5. Friends with Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snufkin is cured! He takes some time to talk with Too TIcky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theres talk of liquid being absorbed into skin in this chapter, just in case you dont like that stuff!

The sickly-sweet smell of his sisters potion woke Snufkin. He yawned and felt his back pop. 

“That’s what you get for sleeping on the couch!” 

Snufkin grumbled and looked at Too Ticky. 

“My said that you and my sister were dating?” 

Too Ticky smiled and nodded. 

“Of course you are.” He put a hand on his face. “You always find a way to be in my life.” He sat up and inched, leaving room for them to sit down. TIcky shook their head. 

“I was just coming to wake you up, they finished the potion.” They held their hand out. “Wanted me to come get you.” Snufkin grabbed their hand and squeaked when he was pulled up sharply. 

“Alright, Mr. Spring, lets get you back to normal.” 

The sweet smell was worse in the back room. Snufkin gagged slightly. Mymble was staring intensly into the pot while My bounced in a stool. 

“Finally! Come on Snuf, hurry.” My ran over and pulled him towards the pot. 

“Okay, Mym do your thing!” She shoved him towards her. 

She looked at Snufkin and smiled. She took a goblet, scooped some of the potion and offered it to him. 

“Do I... do I drink it?” 

She nodded as he leaned away from it. He reached and held it. Exhaling, he downed it all. The sweet taste burned down his throat, and even though the pot looked like it was boiling, it was cold. 

She took the goblet back and motioned for him to get closer to the cauldron. He stared blankly as she mimed sticking her hands in. 

“No.” 

“Snuf hurry up! Me and Mym gotta do it too.” My grumbled as she got back onto her stool. 

“It’s boiling. I’m not sticking my hands into a boiling potion!” 

“You’ll be fine, Spring.” Ticky said, placing a hand on the square of his back. 

Shakily, slowly, Snufkin dipped his hands into the potion. It didn’t hurt, at most it was lukewarm. My told him not to talk as she took the goblet and got herself a drink as well. She handed it to Too Ticky and shoved her hands in, Mymble following suit. Ticky walked to the other side where no one was and stuck their hands in as well. 

Snufkin watched in awe as the potion glowed a bright light, then he flinched as it began disappearing. He felt something in his arms. They watched him as the potion was seemingly sucked into his arms. 

Snufkin closed his eyes, waiting for it to stop. It was incredibly uncomfortable. After about 5 minutes, the feeling subsided. Snufkin jumped when Mymble spoke. 

“It’s done, you can open your eyes, Snufkin.” 

He slowly peeked, there wasn’t any liquid left in the large vat. He looked at his hands, relieved to see his actual skin. 

“I should have told you how the potion works, I apologize. It’s an absorption type, it sinks into your skin to sooth your nerves so you can turn back,” Mymble rubs her hands. “When more people are involved in the process, it works better, which is why I invited Little My and Ticky to join in.” She smiles gently. 

He sighs, then smiles back. 

“It’s alright, I’m just glad that I can be seen again. Being dark for so long gets tiring.” He laughs. 

Too Ticky walks over and rests their hand on Snufkins head. He made a small noise of distaste before ducking. My giggled, Mymble stared at Ticky fondly. 

“Well, thank you for helping me but I should be off, I-” 

“Oh please, at least stay for lunch! We have much to catch up on, and we can talk until it’s time to make food.” Mymble walked over and held his hands, eyes pleading. He looked to the side, sweating, and hissed between his teeth. 

“Please?” 

He sighed deeply, “Alright.” 

She jumped up and down slightly, making soft excited noises. 

“Let me go make some tea! Oh this so exciting!” She skipped out of the room, humming to herself. Snufkin mumbled a few words as he followed her out of the backroom. He inhaled, attempting to chase away the lingering smell of the pungent plants of the back room. He stumbled as Little My shoved past him, Too Ticky reached over and steadied him. Snufkin shuffled to the couch, sinking into the plush seats. Too Ticky sat in the chair across him and closed their eyes. 

“It’s been a long time, I’m glad.” 

Snufkin looked up at them, confused. 

“I mean, it’s a good thing I haven’t had to come visit you. It means that the higher ups are laying off you a little bit.” 

“I think it’s because I’ve been focused on doing my job. It takes a long time to get a whole season started. They’d rather dump that on me then do it themselves. I think they learned that if they try to kill me at every turn, they’d have to work more.” He glanced at the kitchen. 

“It must be nice, being able to do your job just by existing.” 

“Tell me about it.” Ticky chuckled. They patted their pockets, then reached deep into one. Arm up to the elbow, they shuffled for a second before pulling a book out. 

“Is that a hit list or something?” 

“Oh yes, I keep a book of all the creatures I have taken in the bottom of my pant pocket. I leave the paperwork for after I work. This is a book on plants and their uses.” 

“You know I can tell you that already, right?” 

“I know you’re a walking flower textbook but, I don’t think you’d like me showing up to ask you random questions about plants.” They winked. 

Snufkin shrugged. “You’re right.” 

They lapsed into silence, the sound of clinking pots and pans from the kitchen was the only noise. A soft smell of roasting meat filled the air. 

“Oh no.” 

Little My looked up, cocking an eyebrow. 

“They don’t know my distain for meat.” 

Too Ticky hummed and pushed themselves up from their chair. They leaned around the corner into the kitchen. 

“Snufkin doesn’t eat meat, love.” 

Mymbles reply was a little muffled. 

“Oh! In that case I’ll make some salad as well!” 

Too Ticky nodded and thanked her, then sat back down. 

“Thank you.” 

Ticky hummed, going back to their reading. Snufkin shuffled in his seat. He looked back and forth from the kitchen to Ticky. For them, the atmosphere was peaceful, to Snufkin however. 

It was suffocating. 

He was overwhelmed, everything about this was wrong. He was inside, which the gods normally frowned upon, three gods were in the same area as him and weren’t insulting him or trying to kill him, not to mention the fact that they had helped him only a little bit prior. This was new to him, unusual. They were listening to him. 

“They care about you, you know.” 

He looked up at Ticky. 

“Mymble would pester me for information about you constantly. She wanted to know if you were alive. My seems to care about you already, which is strange. She seems to have attached herself to you.” 

He blinked. “What?” 

“She doesn’t latch on to people like that. It takes a lot for her to trust people. It’s incredible she decided to trust you so quickly.” They shut their book, then looked up at him. “They really love you, Spring.” 

He looked at the floor, sure it was nice to hear that but... 

“Then why didn’t they try to help me before.” 

“You know they couldn’t. Mymble is terrified of the ups, when she said she wanted to go see you, they yelled at her. My didn’t even really know you existed until now. At least I came to visit.” 

“You only came because it’s your job.” 

“What can I say, I can’t help showing up when someones dying.” 

Snufkin sighed. “I wish you’d take me away.” 

“I could never do that. You’re family, and true, you’ll get old one day, then I’ll consider it. Until then, you need to live a good life. You need to show those pricks up top that you’re not giving up.” 

“At this point, I’d rather like giving up. Too bad you like me.” He smiled. 

“Too bad, indeed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally here!! ٩꒰๑ ´∇`๑꒱۶ Gosh I am so so sorry for the wait ꒰⁎′̥̥̥ ⌑ ‵̥̥̥ ꒱ school sucks and I've had way to much work to get anything written.  
> Tell me what you liked! Tell me what I did wrong! I love to hear from you guys~~


	6. A lovely lunch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snufkin has a short lunch with his family. He is stressed and tries to understand what Mymble Jr. wants from him. Puppy love and Spring tend to go hand in hand. Snufkin tries out a new tune and Moomin comes to join him. Moomin tells Snufkin about the gift he's giving him.

After a long wait and sitting in silence, lunch was completed. Snufkin hardly spoke as they ate. Mymble seemed to understand his silence. She seemed to appreciate his presence more than anything. The food was good, his portion didn’t have the meat that the others did, the meat had been replaced with a type of seafood. He made a note to thank Ticky for telling Mymble he didn’t eat land animals. 

My didn’t seem to mind the quiet, she just sat stuffing her face. 

He stared at his bowl. His thoughts were one track. Why were they being so nice to me? And then... 

Why do I like them, too? 

The silence, for once in his life, was comfortable. The silence you might hear if you were sitting with loved ones looking at the stars. At least, that’s the only thing he could really compare it to. And when he did that he was normally alone. 

What’s so different about these three that Snufkin felt safe around them? 

Probably, and this was just a guess, they were trying to gain his trust so they could hurt him. 

But, that was only a theory. Mymble and Little My started chatting idly. Snufkin zoned them out, focusing on the food in front of him. Soft and rich, the fish was soft and could be cut by pushing your fork against it gently. Leafy greens smattered the plate, cheese grated on top. It was nice, it was homey. 

Was this some sort of potion? 

Snufkin shook his head, he was a guest, Mymble had helped him in his time of need. He was indebted to her until he could return the favor. There’s no way a god would kill someone that’s indebted to them, even if they were a mix. 

He started shoveling the food into his mouth, he’d make something for her to thank her, a gift in return for her service. That should work. 

“Mymble, is there anything you want from me?” 

Mymble looked up from her little sister to look at Snufkin. 

“A gift, something I can make to pay you back.” 

Mymble stared... 

Then began to laugh. 

Snufkin blinked, then flushed. How dare she laugh at him like that? He was trying to return her kindness! Maybe she wanted something else. 

“Okay then, you want me to stay and help you around the house? I’ll have you know I’m not a very good cleaner.” 

Too Ticky chuckled and Little My snorted. 

“Be quiet! I’m trying to pay her back, that’s how this works with the others! They do something nice for me then demand something in return, I’m trying to jump the gun and get it over as soon as possible!” Snufkin shouted. 

The three went quiet. 

“Snufkin, I don’t want anything from you. We’re family, I’ll help my family no matter who they are. I don’t demand gifts in return.” 

Mymble reached across the table and layed a hand on Snufkins shoulder. 

“So no, I don’t want you to clean my home, a gift would be a nice surprise but I won’t demand one. You are my family, Snufkin. I will never demand anything of you in return for the things I do for you.” 

At her touch, the anxiety seemed to leak out of his body. The anger he felt towards the gods calming. Maybe... maybe there were some good gods after all. 

Snufkin sighed, suddenly exhausted and lay his head in his hands. 

“Why.” 

“Why what, dear brother?” 

“Why are you being so kind.” 

“I already told you, you are my family. I love you, no matter whose child you are and no matter how much the other gods dislike you. I love you, Snufkin.” 

“That doesn’t make sense.” 

“It will eventually. If you want to leave, feel free. Just know that my home is always open to you, and if you ever need food, I have plenty.” 

He clutched his hands tightly, then shot back. 

“I...” 

He made a beeline to the door before pausing and turning back, looking Mymble right in the eyes. 

“Thank you. I’ll... I’ll come back soon.” 

He smiled softly. 

“I love you, too.” 

The door clicked shut behind him. Small beads of tears formed in the Mymbles eyes, she smiled. She really loved her family, no matter what the gods may say, her little brother was one of the kindest beings alive. 

The walk back to his tent was long, getting there was shorter because Little My insisted on running as fast as she could. His heart swelled thinking about the gods who actually really seemed to care. He took out his harmonica, staring at the faded silver, running his fingers over top. The smoothing bumps was a familiar feeling, He put it to his lips, playing his song. 

Flowers bloomed, birds chirped. The soft rustle of leaves giving away the rabbits and boars that came to listen. The soft crunch of grass underfoot gave Snufkin his tempo. The faded shirt he always wore gently flapping in the small wind. 

A bird landed on his shoulder. Blue, with a green stomach and a song that made Snufkins heart flutter. Moomins bird.

He should probably go apologize for running out of their dinner yesterday. They didn't know how much it hurt to hear his name. After all, hearing about your dead father never was a nice experience.

The bird flew ahead, singing out Snufkins song to the world. It was such a pretty bird, kind, its voice was as clear as a sunny day, as soft as a gentle stream lapping at your ankles. A bird of Spring.

A bird made of Spring and love.

Maybe that's why he relaxed more around the sisters. Love and Children were abundant in the Spring. Small ones running through the yard, holding hands, playing games as their parents watched on, lovingly.

After all, Spring and Love go hand in hand.

Just like Snufkin and his sister.

Snufkin paused. He really did go with her, didn't he.

The animals waited for Snufkin, who blinked before he continued. He decided to begin composing a new tune on the spot, something jovial and gaunty, filled with the love of family, the energy of running through the woods, and a soft note of the melancholy of death. It wasn't perfect, he only had a small idea of what he wanted to play. The notes were soft, calculating as he thought of what the song would sound like. The creatures of the forest were patient as Snufkin played. He sat by the edge of the forest.

The soft playing mixed with the gurgling of the river and the quiet sigh of wind rushing by. The animals gathered, Snufkin smiled as a wild boar nudged it's way under his arm. Snufkin watched the relaxing scene of the bridge in the warmth of the creatures around him. He sat like that for a long time, feeling out the tune. After while, small buds began to grow.

His new animal companions fell asleep as he worked out his new song. As the melody began to form, a large burst of energy sulged and the buds bloomed. The more he worked on the song, the stronger and faster his magic would work. Playing the same song for too long would take away it's magic bit by bit. If he was being honest, the aspect of making a new song every Spring was one of the main reasons the season would come late. Not because of some stupid groundhog.

Eventually, Snufkin realized he felt eyes on him. He looked up to see Moomin staring at him from the top of the building. He waved and smiled (Snufkin thought, he couldn't see Moomins mouth) as Snufkin looked up at him. Snufkin smiled back, waving big enough for Moomin to see. His friend disappeared from his window as Snufkin went back to composing. About 30 seconds later, the door of the Moomin home opened and Moomintroll came walking out. Snufkin let his hands fall to his lap as he waited for Moomin to get over. He thought about what to even say to him after what had happened last night.

Moomin slowed down as he reached their bridge, softly padding across to sit near Snufkin attempting to not wake the animals. Snufkin moved his arm from around the boar to pat a spot that was generally close to him. Moomin inched his way over.

"Hello, Moomintroll."

"Hello Snufkin, how are you feeling today?"

"I'm feeling much better than I did last night." Snufkin smiled.

"That's good!" Moomin glanced at the mouth organ in his hands.

"Were you making a new song? It sounded quite lovely from my window!"

"I am, I think I'm going to teach it to Spring and use it as our next Spring tune."

"I guess even you two can get tired of playing the same songs over and over!"

Snufkin blinked, then remembered he had never told Moomin how his powers worked.

"Actually, we make new songs because that's how Springs powers work. Because I have his powers, in a sense, I have to do the same things he does. Because Spring is a season of new beginnings the gods gave Spring the power in a very literal sense. He needs to make something new to use it. I had a wonderful experience today so I got a burst of inspiration." Snufkin looked at his harmonica.

Moomin blinked then smiled wide. "Snufkin, that's so cool! I don't think I would ever be able to make a new song like that in a hundred years!"

"Well, we have to. I think we've gotten so used to making them that it's like second nature. I just start making them whenever I get an idea." He reached over and stroked the boar who sniffled softly, pressing into his hand. Moomin smiled at him. 

"Animals really love you, eh? I wish they liked me like that! It's kind of incredible that they haven't all fled by now!" Moomin chuckled. Snufkin grinned at his friend.

"I think they're still here because they're asleep."

Moomin blinked, then laughed. Snufkin flashed a toothy smile, the animals slightly stirring. 

Talking, relaxing. The cold night air slowly creeping up on Snufkin. Moomin sat and listened as Snufkin thought through his song. With Moomin sitting by him, his music seemed to focus more on the love of the season. Snufkin shifted the pig onto his lap so Moomin could move closer.

They stayed until the sun had disappeared over the trees, Snufkin shivering alerted Moomin to the heat leaving the air. 

"Do you have a coat, Snufkin?"

Snufkin shook his head. "I don't, I never really had the money to get one."

"Then you can take one of ours! My dad still has a lot of his and his friends clothes and coats from his old adventuring days! There's this one I think you'll like, it's green, kinda long but it's warm! It has a matching hat, I think it would look nice on you!"

"You don't have to do that, Moomin, I'll be fine."

"I want you to take it, I feel like I upset you yesterday so this is my way of apologizing!"

Snufkin sighed. "Well... I, I guess it's fine if you _really_ want to give them to me."

"I do! Come to the house tomorrow and I'll have it cleaned by then! I'm sure papa won't mind, he talks about throwing them away all the time!"

Snufkin smiled weakly. As the cold air grew stronger, the animals began to move into the woods to find their homes. A soft chirping of Snufkins tune filled the air as a blue bird with a green stomach, the one that made Snufkins heart beat a little bit faster, landed on his shoulder, tweeting the song it had memorized as it listened.

"Snufkin! Snufkin, that's my bird! The one Spring made from my drawing! Oh Snufkin, it likes you!" Moomin cheered excitedly, jumping to his feet. Snufkin let out a hearty laugh, smiling wide at Moomin.

"I'm glad it does, it means that I'm close to the two of you."

Moomin grinned, kneeling by Snufkin and holding out his finger like Spring had taught him. The little bird jumped onto it. Snufkin watched, heart fluttering, as the moon lit up the sky behind his Moomin, his fur sparkled silver in the light, the little bird singing the song of love.

Yeah, today was good, he thought, waving as Moomin jogged up to his home, little bird flying by him. Maybe, just maybe, tomorrow will be as good as today.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I've just been turning out short chapters! Schools the worst, I've been trying really hard to keep this going but I loose my energy a lot. Thank you for reading! Tell me what you liked, tell me what I did wrong! Your comments keep me chugging!!

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Thanks for reading! More is on its way, but in the meantime comment below and tell me what you liked! Tell me what I did wrong!!! I love for feedback!!


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